We Repair A Coffee Grinder With Our Own Hands: How To Disassemble, Wash And Adjust, How To Grind Coffee Correctly + Video Instructions

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

All about coffee grinders: device, DIY repair, nuances of making coffee

The first mentions of coffee in Russia are found in documents from the middle of the 17th century, during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Emperors Peter I and Catherine the Great were coffee fans. The quality of an invigorating drink is very much dependent on the grinding: fine dust will increase bitterness, large particles will make the coffee watery. What are the types of coffee grinders, how to grind beans correctly? What are the malfunctions of coffee grinders, how to carry out a simple repair of a coffee grinder with your own hands?

Content

• 1 A bit of history

  • 1.1 Video: how a coffee grinder works on a millstone
  • 1.2 Photo: types of coffee grinders
• 2 How to grind coffee and use the machine correctly
• 3 How to set up the grinding operation
• 4 Caring for the grinder
• 5 Possible causes of failure, their elimination and repair
• 6 How to fix problems of the second category

A bit of history

The birth of the electric coffee grinder is marked in history on April 3, 1829. On this day, James Carrington received a patent for his electromechanical invention. Up to this point, coffee was ground manually, using a manual coffee grinder. Its device was a reduced copy of a mill, and coffee beans were ground by grinding them between two millstones. With the use of an electric motor, two designs of coffee grinders appeared. In one, all the same traditional millstones are used, and this type is called a millstone. In another, the role of the grinder was taken over by metal knives rotating at high speed and therefore the coffee grinder is called rotary.

The millstone type of a coffee grinder consists of three sections. Whole grains are poured into one. In the second, they are ground and poured into the third section on their own in the form of a ready-to-use powder.

Video: how a coffee grinder works on a millstone

Photo: types of coffee grinders

The rotary coffee grinder has one section, in which the loaded beans are ground by means of a crushing mechanism and poured out manually.

Crushes grains with metal knives

Grinds coffee with metal or ceramic burrs

Powered by hand

In addition, a modern coffee grinder is equipped with additional systems that allow more productive use of the machine's capabilities.

- Blocking of starting the engine when the cover is open.

Prevents spilling of grains when trying to turn on the motor with an open or loosely closed cover. As a rule, all coffee grinders are equipped with this function. Blocking in rotary devices is especially relevant.

- Motor protection against overheating.

Automatic shutdown of the motor in case of excessive heat. This function significantly extends the life of the unit.

- Pulse mode.

A very useful mode when crushing especially hard products. For example, when grinding dried rosehip or hawthorn berries before brewing. It consists in the fact that the operation of the engine alternates with short pauses, during which the speed of rotation of the working shaft decreases.

- Timer.

A timer in rotary coffee grinders regulates the grinding degree. The longer the grinding process takes, the finer the outgoing product becomes.

- Regulator of "depth" of grinding.

Usually used in grinders with burrs. The adjustment is carried out by decreasing or increasing the gap between the burrs. Numerous recipes for preparing a coffee drink are based precisely on different fractions of ground coffee beans.

So, for example, to make coffee in a Turk (cezve), you need the finest grinding "into dust". The espresso is slightly coarser for brewing, and the coarser grind is used for the french press. In total, experts have up to 25 degrees of coffee grinding.

Equipping a coffee grinder with an electric motor greatly facilitated the work of a housewife, since grinding coffee beans by hand is a rather tedious task.

How to grind coffee and use the machine correctly

True gourmets of the drink claim that when preparing coffee, the most important thing is its correct grinding. There is a whole science that describes all the nuances of this seemingly simple operation. Due to the fact that the popularity of coffee consumption has recently become enormous, narrow professionals have appeared in this area of cooking. Sometimes their opinions differ. However, when it comes to grinding coffee beans, experts tend to believe that the correct grinding takes place either in a manual coffee grinder or in an electric coffee grinder equipped with a millstone. The rotary grinder grinds less evenly, and the final product contains particles of different sizes. In addition, at high knife speeds, the coffee burns, which leads to a change in its taste.

The grinding time should not be long. As well as the time from grinding to brewing the drink. The longer the coffee is ground, the more essential oils evaporate. Therefore, the optimal grinding time is considered to be no more than 20 seconds.

Over time, the grinder began to be used not only for coffee. It can crush nuts, eggshells, cereals, salt, sugar and other bulk food products. For example, at home, using a coffee grinder, you can make powdered sugar from ordinary loose sugar.

It is not recommended to grind foods with a persistent smell in the same grinder. So, for example, do not crush pepper in it, the persistent smell of which can then be transferred to the coffee drink.

How to set up the grinding operation

In a manual coffee grinder, the grind size is adjusted using manual adjustment. Typically, the adjusting screw is located where the rotating millstone is attached. By screwing or releasing it, you can achieve such a size of the gap between the millstones, at which the particle size will be optimal. However, you cannot overdo it when reducing the gap. If you set it too small, the metal surfaces will rub against each other, creating small chips that will mix with the coffee and get into the food.

If a rotary coffee grinder with rotating knives is used, the time for complete grinding is determined by visual inspection. To do this, turn off the grinder, open the lid and assess the degree of readiness. If the powder is not fine enough, the procedure is repeated. Many coffee grinders of this type usually have a transparent plastic lid. This allows you to control the grinding process without removing the cover or switching off the engine.

If the coffee grinder works on the principle of grinding with millstones, then the degree of grinding is regulated using a special adjusting device. This mechanism allows you to increase or decrease the gap between the rotating millstones, and thus change the size of the powder at the exit. In practice, this is expressed in the rotation of the adjusting wheel located on the grinder body. The adjustment algorithm is quite simple. Rotation of the wheel in one direction leads to an increase in the fraction of ground coffee. In the opposite direction - to decrease. In everyday life, everyone can, with a little experimentation, achieve the desired degree of grinding of the grains.

Caring for the grinder

Like any electrical appliance, the coffee grinder can only be used in compliance with the rules and regulations of use.

In rotary coffee grinders, the main focus should be on regularly cleaning the working knife. It must be cleaned every time you grind coffee. This is done with a damp cloth or napkin. Remains of ground coffee must be carefully removed from the cutting edge of the knife, as otherwise it can oxidize and become unusable over time. Naturally, the entire remaining cavity of the working container is subject to cleaning.

In the millstones, there is no access to the working surface, but it is advisable to change the millstones themselves after a certain period of time. It is considered that the replacement should take place after a grinding job of approximately 250 kg. coffee. Such a resource of strength is incorporated in the design of the apparatus and when it is exhausted, the quality of grinding decreases.

Do not wash the grinder by completely dipping it in water. Since in this case its electromechanical part may become unusable. It is permissible to wipe the case with a damp cloth.

During operation, you must adhere to the optimal operating time of the device. According to experts, the continuous operation of the motor is more than 1 minute. negatively affects its durability. If there is a need to continue working, you need to pause for 15–20 seconds. and only then turn on the device again.

Possible causes of failure, their elimination and repair

From time to time, any technique fails. This happens either due to wear of the mechanism, or with the occurrence of a particular emergency situation. The grinder is no exception in this respect. Despite the extreme simplicity of the device, it does not work properly. They can be conditionally divided into two categories.

The first includes malfunctions that change the quality of work. This is, first of all, insufficient grinding of the coffee beans. This happens with prolonged use of the device without current routine maintenance. So knives and millstones need to be updated from time to time. If this is not done in a timely manner, the degree of grinding will gradually, but inevitably, decrease.

In rotary coffee grinders, the crushing blade must be replaced. Sharpening it at home will not lead to anything good, since there is a high probability of disrupting the balance of the product. An unbalanced knife at high speeds will create vibration and the quality of chopping will not noticeably change. Since the cost of a replacement knife is quite democratic, replacing it will not cause financial stress. The replacement is made by rotating the knife in the same direction in which it works. So that it does not rotate with the drive shaft, the engine is jammed with a screwdriver. The old knife is removed, the new one is installed in its place.

The millstones are changed in the millstones. Millstones come in various shapes (plane-parallel and tapered) and are made from different materials (stainless steel or ceramic). In addition, various companies that produce coffee grinders use different types of attachments for millstones. All this complicates the general recommendations for their replacement, but most often this operation is described in detail in the operating manual of the device. Having studied them carefully, everyone can make a replacement on their own at home.

After replacing the millstones, their adjustment for the fineness of grinding becomes relevant.

How to fix problems of the second category

The second category is damage to the electromechanical part of the grinder.

Types of coffee grinder malfunctions	Remedies
Broken power cord or poor connections in the outlet.	Using the voltage indicator, they find the place of the power cut. The current is restored, the contacts are cleaned, the junction is isolated.
Damage to the switch and sinking of the engine blocking drive.	The faulty switch is dismantled from the body of the apparatus, a new one is installed in its place. The engine blocking drive with the cover open is thoroughly cleaned and its free stroke is worked out.
Interruptions in the operation of the motor. Short-term changes in the speed of rotation of the working shaft. Stops when the start button is on.	The brushes may be worn out and need to be replaced. Dirty engine manifold. The collector is cleaned, wiped with a cloth dipped in cologne or alcohol.

More complex repairs associated with rewinding the windings of the motor coils, as a rule, are not justified and require a lot of time. It is easier to replace the entire motor.

A common and common failure of coffee grinders is bearing failure. Although they are protected by special rubber anthers, fine dust still gets onto their work surface during grinding. This leads to seizure of the motor armature. The problem is easily solved - the bearings are cleaned and lubricated with some kind of mineral oil. After that, they can serve for a very long time.

The choice of a coffee grinder depends on the purpose of its purchase and the volume of the planned processing of coffee beans. The coffee grinders of such world famous companies as Krups, Bosch, Scarlett, Delonghi have proven themselves well. Professional units are capable of passing large quantities of coffee through themselves, while household units are designed to prepare a coffee drink within the family circle. They also differ in weight, power and other performance indicators. When choosing, you should also take into account the dimensions of the machine, which in some models reach 2.4 m.